If one delves deep enough into this massacre, and everything surrounding it, questions begin to rise.
I am not in any way, shape, or form excusing any act of terrorism, the Chechens were wrong the minute they used civilians, specially children, as pawns in this war, whether in Beslan or elsewhere in the world, but if you really want to know about this massacre, you HAVE to read outside the mainstream American media.
I have serious doubts about the reporting on this, I have serious doubts because the people in charge in Russia these days are nothing but KGB.
I remember the hostage situation in the theater. I also remember thinking it was a very risky move on the part of the police, but I didn't see much alternative at the time, either. As far as I was concerned, all the people in the theater were dead, so anybody who could be saved was a bonus, and most of them were saved. What were there, something like 800 people in there? And I'm not surprised at all that attack helicopters were at the school within minutes...not surprised at all. They had 3 days to get there, after all. And they had to be ready for anything...such as the terrorists escaping the school. I don't see a problem with that. And most of what I read on the massacre was from the BBC, and while I think their was poor coordination and organization amongst the various agencies on the scene, and I think they should have gotten the armed civilians away from the area pronto, the survivors all pretty much tell the same story. That a bomb went off inside the building, and then all hell broke loose.
You might have it in for Putin, which is fine, but that doesn't mean the Chechens aren't total scum, completely capable of being scum and gangsters and mass murderers without the help of the KGB-types.